They were arrested after the Kartalkaya Grand Hotel fire: Statements of 3 municipal employees revealed
The investigation into the Kartalkaya Grand Hotel fire in Bolu, which resulted in 78 deaths and 51 injuries, continues. It has been learned that the arrested Bolu Deputy Mayor, Fire Chief, and a firefighter denied the accusations in their statements.
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The hotel fire that occurred in the Kartalkaya region of Bolu on January 21, causing the deaths of 78 people and injuring 51, plunged Turkey into mourning.
In the investigation launched following the disaster, 19 people were arrested, including Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener (44), Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun (44), and firefighter İrfan Acar (35). Within the scope of the investigation, these three individuals stated in their testimonies to the court that they did not accept the accusations and requested to be tried without arrest.
'ALL DOCUMENTS WERE SUBMITTED'
Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener denied the accusations in his defense at the Criminal Court of Peace. Gülener included the following words in his statement:
"I do not accept the accusation of causing death and injury by conscious negligence. I have been a civil servant for 25 years and have performed my duties successfully. All documents regarding the fire have been submitted to the file by us. My home was even searched, but there is no suspicion of me tampering with evidence. Furthermore, I am receiving treatment for health problems, and I have submitted the documents regarding this to the court. I request to be tried without arrest."
''WE SAVED THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE''
Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, who stated that he worked with his teams during the fire, said the following in his defense regarding the accusations:
"We reached the scene quickly with my teams and participated in rescue efforts. We saved the lives of dozens of people. However, I do not accept the accusation of causing death and injury by conscious negligence. No evidence regarding this accusation has been presented to me. I request to be released to be tried without arrest."
''I DID NOT NEGLECT MY DUTY''
Firefighter İrfan Acar stated that he had identified and reported the deficiencies in the hotel, and used the following expressions:
"I identified all the deficiencies of the 13-story building item by item and reported them to the relevant units. I did not neglect my duty in any way. I do not accept the accusations. Furthermore, I have an 8-month-old baby and a child who has just started school. For the sake of my family and children, I request to be released to be tried without arrest."
FIRE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
While the detailed investigation into the fire continues, many topics such as the cause of the fire and the adequacy of safety measures at the hotel are being examined.